Arunachal CM appeals for keeping politics out of development initiatives

Jamin (Arunachal Pradesh), Jan. 24 (ANI): Addressing a developmental meeting at Jamin, near Palin, in Kurung Kumey district today, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki appealed to the people not to mix politics with development.

The appeal came in the wake of stray objections to the creation of a new district - Kara Dadi - with its headquarters at Jamin under proposal. The new district is proposed to be carved out of Kurung Kumey comprising of two Assembly constituencies Palin and Tali.

Accepting in principle the popular demand of the people, Tuki, however resented that petty political differences often put hindrances in developmental works and cause undue delay in providing governance at the doorsteps of the needy people.

Admiring the serenity of nature, he lauded the people for their consensus to have the headquarters of the proposed district at Jamin, a picture-perfect plateau covered by virgin forests and surrounded by pristine rivers Pagu, Palu and Kurung.

"Government has no objections to genuine demands of the people. Our main motto is governance to the people and development of all. We will bring up the issue (creation of the new district) in the next Cabinet meeting for approval then bring it on the floor of the Assembly for finalization," Tuki assured responding to several memorandums with the single demand submitted by MLAs Takam Pario (Palin) and Markio Tado (Tali) besides other public leaders and Block Congress Committee.

Taking the example of Hawai, the headquarters of Anjaw district, which he had visited on January 2 last, Tuki asserted that if materialized Jamin should also come up like Hawai.

"Whatever we have done with older district headquarters cannot be undone. But new one's like Jamin should come up properly planned keeping the future in mind. Like Hawai I believe Jamin, which is a virgin land, would become a model district headquarter in future," he said.

He clarified in chaste Nyishi that creation of new district elsewhere in the country depends on the population of the proposed district. However, he said, in Arunachal Pradesh the 'population criteria' cannot be applied everywhere.

"Here we have to consider factors like geography, accessibility, administration and pace of development. We have to see that every section of the society, no matter how lesser in number they are, are not deprived of development and basic facilities of governance," Tuki pointed.

As per the Provisional Census of 2011, the proposed district has a population of more than 46000, which is a formidable figure in context of Arunachal Pradesh.

A private firm from New Delhi, M/S Deeba Orthographics Pvt Ltd has already surveyed the area availability at Jamin using GPS and Total Station and found that 70% of total 1085 hectares are buildable areas. Besides, there is no human habitation in the said area making it feasible for development in a planned manner.

Rajya Sabha MP and Pradesh Congress President Mukut Mithi, who accompanied the Chief Minister, endorsed the demand for creation of the new district. He reminded the people that accepting the need for accelerated development of the area, he had created Kurung Kumey district way back in 2001 as the then Chief Minister.

"Kurung Kumey today has grown up and now it is time to give birth to a child. Let this child grow on its own and find its destiny," he said.

The meeting was also addressed by Lok Sabha MP and native of the place Takam Sanjoy, MLAs Takam Pario and Markio Tado.